Hearts of Oak (well MDF...)

[Leman]

Terry Pratchet - I really cannot connect with that man's humour at all.

[fsn]

Early books were the best.

The Colour of Magic.

Later ones ... not so much.

[mmcv]

Audible is pretty good for it, I have most of them on audiobook (and physical book and Kindle...) Always find something new in them every time I indulge.

Audible seem to be working on a lot of free radio drama style content lately too.

Though mostly on audible I go for long books to get the money's worth, some good historical ones as well as a lot of the Great Courses series. Can get ones upwards of 20 hours.

For lighter listening though podcasts seem to be the way to go these days, a lot out there.

[Ithoriel]

Early books were the best.

The Colour of Magic.

Later ones ... not so much.

Each to their own. I preferred the later ones which were stories with jokes in not a series of jokes strung together to make a narrative.

I liked "The Wee Free Men" and the rest of the Tiffany Aching series too, even though it's aimed at kids.

[mmcv]

Each to their own. I preferred the later ones which were stories with jokes in not a series of jokes strung together to make a narrative.

I liked "The Wee Free Men" and the rest of the Tiffany Aching series too, even though it's aimed at kids.

The Tiffany series is good, fresh spin in the witches. I do enjoy the development of the world in the later books and how things tie together more as the world develops and moves on. I find in the first few books he's still finding good feet a bit, as you say more a series of comic moments tired together, but once he hits his stride...

I usually recommend people start with the likes of Wyrd Sisters or Small Gods as they are a lot more accessible than the early ones (unless you have a good grounding in the fantasy tropes).

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Agreed.

[fsn]

Audible is pretty good for it, I have most of them on audiobook (and physical book and Kindle...) Always find something new in them every time I indulge.

If you search YouTube there are a lot of aufiobooks on there too - including some from Audible.

[Raider4]

I usually recommend people start with the likes of Wyrd Sisters or Small Gods as they are a lot more accessible than the early ones (unless you have a good grounding in the fantasy tropes).

Yes, the first two are distinctly different from what follows. Mort is the first one where he really gets it right, I think. And I wouldn't bother (again) with anything written from The Last Continent onwards.

[mmcv]

The Last Continent was a bit naff, lots of parody but not much story, but he was still in full stride in the early 00's after that with books like Night Watch, The Truth and Going Postal.

[Leman]

My problem is fantasy doesn't float my boat and I just don't get black humour - life's too short and I have other coping mechanisms for dealing with misery.

[mmcv]

Yeah that's fair enough. I would say the "fantasy" elements drop off quite a bit in the latter books, especially with the industrial revolution. It's still there given the backdrop of the world and the inhabitants being not altogether human (while still being very much so in character) but isn't a focus or large plot driver. I wouldn't necessarily class it black humour. It's certainly a bit wry at times, but he's a master at layering comedy, irony, self reflection, parody and reference to real world events and people. And many punes*.

*Or play on words.

I'd also heartily recommend Good Omens, both the book and the recent TV series.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Met him once, a very strange person. The books do tail off a bit toward the end, but that I suspect was a symptom of his condition.

ianS

[Last Hussar]

I have 11 battalions of line completed, and 1 light. Each is 96 figures on 6 bases. 1 regt cuirassier, 2 chasseur, 1 hussar. 3 guns and crew. 16 4 man bases of skirmish, 6 command stands, plus ADCs to act as command points, and 4 bases of infantry officer attachment, 3 for cavalry. Still got 4 bns to paint, plus some skirmish and about 8 guns (I think). That's a gameable force done.

Hopefully pics soon.

[sunjester]

Stop mucking about on the computer then and get on with the Austrians to oppose them!

[Last Hussar]

I need to buy them first. I'm looking at my bank account. Also don't want them arriving before I've comleted the French.

[Last Hussar]

Will some please send me "a life"

The muskets are resting on the floor as a score up one leg. So I've bought a yard brush, and am cutting the bristles into 8mm lengths to glue to the shoulders.

The gluing is simple, its cutting the lengths.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

As the actress said to the bishop...

[Last Hussar]

Multipurpose follow up to that

Turns out its trickier that I thought and won't be quick. I can see it keeping me up at night.

[Last Hussar]

Once I've got the individual bristles cut, I could arm a battalion in about an hour. It would be quicker if I'd thought of this before basing - I couldn't find anything thin enough.

Bristle muskets by Last Hussar, on Flickr

Untitled by Last Hussar, on Flickr

[Last Hussar]

The flag, by the way, is 4mm high.

Hard to see is the fact that the two figures at the back, one is carrying a pike, and the other has a sword.